Daijoubu
by Tiva
Summary: A short little ficlet from Touya's POV dealing with his thoughts for Sakura as they both grow up.


A/N: What can I say? I think Touya really is a sweet person. All the little things he does for Sakura…he's so nice. Neck-deep WAFF ahead. Be warned. 

Daijoubu

Sakura was two and I was nine.

'Kaa-san and 'tou-san had taken us all to the beach for the day, and the minute we'd gotten there, Sakura had started building a sandcastle. Well, actually, it wasn't so much a sandcastle as a sandlump, but to her it was the best in the world. She even found a pretty shell to put on the top. No sooner had she done that, then a boy of about five or so came over and kicked it down. 

Before she'd even uttered a sound, I was between them, pushing the gaki roughly away from my sister. I then told him off, and he fled, apparently unaccustomed to an onii's wrath. 

I turned to Sakura, to see two big tears glistening in her eyes. Leaning forward, I used the sleeve of my shirt to dry her eyes, then whispered softly, "Imouto-chan, daijoubu."

"Honto?"

"Ee. See?" I sifted through the wreckage of the sandcastle, and came up with her shell. Then I wracked my brains trying to figure out a way to make it so she wouldn't get sad again. "Ok, this monster came and wrecked the castle, ne? But a brave knight drove the monster out of the kingdom. Now he's helping the princess build the castle again, even better than before." Her eyes widened, and then she laughed. I could feel 'kaa-san watching us, and knew she was smiling. 

Sakura was three and I was ten. 

We stood silently in the hospital room, looking at the motionless form of okaa-san. Otou'san's face was rigid, and I could tell he was fighting back tears. But he would never cry in front of us. Okaa-san's voice was weak, but we all heard her love for us when she spoke.

"Minna, don't worry. I'll always be there, watching you. Sakura-chan, remember to mind your onii-chan and 'tou-san, ok?"

Sakura sniffed. "H-hai, 'kaa-san."

"Touya, be brave for Sakura." In a lower voice, she whispered to me, "I'll stop by and see you." 

My eyes widened, and she smiled. Finally, she looked at otou-san. "Fujitaka-chan, please don't be too sad. Aishiteru."

"Aishiteru," whispered otou-san, swallowing hard. "I won't cry, Nadeshiko-chan. I promise."

Okaa-san sank back against the pillows. "Minna…I love you all so much." Her eyes slowly closed, and one of the monitors began to emit a shrill sound. Sakura's eyes went wide, and I could tell she'd felt okaa-san die with her powers, small as they were. She wrenched her hand out of mine and fled the room. I ran after her without a word, casting a glance back at otou-san. I never want to see that expression again on him. It was as though a part of him wasn't there anymore. 

I found Sakura huddled under some bushes outside, the falling rain dripping from her clothes and hair. I took off my jacket and put it over her, and she leaned against me, sobbing. I bit back my own tears, and whispered, 

"Imouto-chan, daijoubu. I'm here, and I'll always protect you." I held her tightly as the rain continued to fall.

Sakura was thirteen, and I was twenty.

I pressed my foot down harder on the gas, then forced myself to slow down. Tomoyo had just called me at my work, sounding distressed. 

"Touya-san, Sakura-chan and Syaoran-kun had a big argument! She's locked herself in your guys' house, and I can't get her to come out!" 

I had debated whether to head straight for the Gaki's apartment and kill him now, but decided that I should go see Sakura…THEN kill the Gaki. 

I pulled into our driveway and launched out of the car as soon as I'd taken out my car key. Running up the steps, I inserted my house key into the lock, and let myself noiselessly inside. I could hear her, up in her room, and shot soundlessly up the stairs to the second floor. Getting to her room, I softly opened to door, and entered without her noticing. The plushie was hovering near her head, looking helpless. 

I sat on her bed, and her head jerked up.

"Go away!" She started pounding at me with her fists, and I let her. Soon, she collapsed against me, crying her heart out. I wrapped my arms around her, and for that moment, let my 'big, bad, onii-chan' façade slip away.

"Imouto-chan, daijoubu." I shut my eyes tightly. Even without my powers, I could tell how hurt she was. She clutched my sleeve tightly, burying her face against my chest. I rocked her like I had when she'd been only a few months old, wishing I could protect her from the world still, like I had back then.

Sakura was twenty-one, and I was twenty-eight.

Despite arguments, despite nearly killing each other several times, Sakura and the Gaki still loved each other, and today they had proved it, by being married. Standing in a corner of the reception hall, I had never seen her happier then now, flitting from one guest to the next like a gauzy pink fairy. Her face was shining with pure joy, and she seemed to be glowing from within.

She saw me watching her, and excused herself from a friend to go over to me. 

"Well," I said, "you married that gaki after all."

"Mou! Touya-kun, he's not just any gaki, he's your brother-in-law now!"

I only half-pretended to wince at that.

"Anyway, you don't really mean it, I can tell." She smiled, and I managed a tiny smile in return. There was a lump in my throat that I couldn't swallow past, and to my surprise, I found my eyes filling with tears. She wasn't mine any more, she was his. I couldn't protect her like I had for twenty-one years.

Sakura's eyes softened, and, in a motion that surprised me, she rested a hand on my cheek. 

"Onii-chan, daijoubu." She smiled gently. "Zettai daijoubu da yo." 

~owari~ 


End file.
